DJ B: Welcome to WRVU, and welcome to Nashville in just a few days.
DJ Rap: Yes, I hear it's a little cold there.
DJ B: It's probably not Chicago cold, but it's probably a little warmer than L.A. I was reading your bio on your web site and I think the one of the most impressive things aside from all these fabulous DJ gigs, long career as a successful artist and producer and all of that, is that you were raised in Raffles which I think is so cool.
DJ Rap: That was for a while, not for all my childhood. My stepfather used to run hotels all around the world. So there would be contracts, for a period of a year at a time or six months, I don't think it even went any longer than that. So yes, I pretty much got to stay in the best hotels everywhere. It depends on which way you look at it. It can be cool, I suppose, from an adult's perspective, from a child's perspective it's not really that cool.
DJ B: Yes, but that's a legendary place.
DJ Rap: As I said, from a child's perspective it's not cool. You know what I mean, a child just wants to play and be normal and stay in the same place and have friends. When you're in a hotel with just adults the whole time around you and you're schooled privately in that hotel, it's a little weird I think. I don't look at it as cool, I was like oh God, it was like jail to me. But it was beautiful and it was the definitely the prettiest jail I was ever in.
DJ B: Well, that's kind of something that we have in common, my dad was also in the club management business for a while and he was also in the military so we moved around quite a bit.
DJ Rap: Yes, I think that existence, people think it's really cool, and in some ways it…
DJ B: Makes you adaptable.
DJ Rap: Yes, exactly, in some ways it is, I can adapt to any situation and I'm on the road constantly and it's just stuff like that but…
DJ B: You're probably sick and tired of hotel rooms by now.
DJ Rap: No, I just know what good ones are.
DJ B: Your living situation in Chicago, is that straightened out yet? Are you out of the flood zone or are you permanently settled or are you just living in your studio until you find something better?
DJ Rap: Yes, it's been quite a trip actually. My house got flooded in Los Angeles and completely ruined it. People asked how did your house flood on the hills in LA? It was a plumbing problem that the landlord didn't fix, so everything got ruined there. It's one of those things where you take the opportunity and run with it. My producers are here and we're working on the new album here, and I was here all of the time so it made sense to spend some time here, so we'll just see what happens. It's definitely very different.
DJ B: Are you working on a new artist CD or a new mix CD?
DJ Rap: Yes, we want to do a follow-up to Learning Curve. That's been out nearly three years now and I've been really busy like doing tours, putting out a mix CD, and doing a million other things. So it's finally taking shape now and it'll be out for next year. I can't wait because that's what I've been waiting for. So yes, I've moved twice since I've been in Chicago and I'm in the process of getting my studio right. I'm taking December and January off to work in the studio on tunes and get stuff rolling again back in the studio and production wise.
DJ B: I see you're doing a date in Phoenix right before you come here and that's kind of funny because when I interviewed Paul Oakenfold he was actually calling me from Phoenix. He had just played at Damage Auditorium on Arizona State Campus, which is a really beautiful hall designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
DJ Rap: Oh right, yes.
DJ B: And I don't know if you'll be playing there or not, but if you aren't, you should at least drive by and check out the outside of it. It's really cool.
DJ Rap: Yes, I have a book on all his architecture actually.
DJ B: Oh, you're a fan?
DJ Rap: I'm pretty familiar with all his stuff. He's actually my favorite, so I know pretty much nearly every loft that guy's designed, it's crazy.
DJ B: Have you been to Falling Waters?
DJ Rap: Yes, I have.
DJ B: Pretty cool place, yes?
DJ Rap: Yes, it's amazing.
DJ B: You're doing that, then you're coming to Nashville, so I'll ask you the same question I asked Paul, why the hell are you coming to Nashville? How did that work out?
DJ Rap: Well, why the hell do we go anywhere? Because we want to do this and want to play the music and get it out there, and it's what we do. You'll be surprised at the places that are the most vibeiest and a lot of fun.
